A reimagined Pinocchio, "Piper" is crazy in the best way. There's a puppet made of underwear, magical puppet dances, a fairy godmother drag queen, and a single dad haunted by the fact that everyone in his family dies very young and even though he's 35, he's almost out of time. The dialogue is sharp and smart, and I've never wished I could see a play I read on NPX on its feet more than this one. I hope I'll be able to see the puppet shows and dances and raves and unravelings live one day! I love the creativity here!

Hyper-theatrical, unabashedly queer, and exceptionally funny. This wise, witty, and delightful riff on the story of Pinocchio made me laugh a lot, but it’s genuinely touching, too. A truly stage-worthy piece that has many great opportunities for puppet, set, and costume design in addition to a great script.

I did not know I needed this fantastical, queer play involving puppets and a complex exploration of queer single parenting, adult identity, and search for meaning and purpose in life...but apparently I did! Oglesby creates such a cohesive yet unique theatrical aesthetic that brings together satire, modern-day fable, farce, and puppetry in an unexpected way. This play is utterly hilarious, has a real sense of place about it, and the characters, despite being heightened and satirical, are all engaging and human. The end is surprisingly poignant and potent. Wonderful, theatrical stuff!